Summer Salad, Shrimp & Green Chili Enchilada

Dog Days of Summer Peach Salad
What a nice change from your average summer pasta salad!   When I do it again, I'll chop up another peach to add to the body of the salad.   Some crumbled feta cheese would go nice here too, or some crumbly bleu cheese.  Something to add a bit of bite.

Serves 2 with leftovers for a lunch:

2 cups dry multigrain Penne Pasta
2 large ripe Peaches
2 Lemons
2 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed.
2 tsp Dijon or similar Mustard
2+ cups Baby Salad Greens
1 cup fresh Blueberries
2 tsp pure Maple or Cane Syrup, or even Honey --  not imitation crud
S&P TT

Cook the pasta to package directions.  Drain and rinse twice, and chill to reserve.

Halve and pit both peaches.  Put 2 halves on a grill and sear until you get nice grill marks.  Or  lay the halves cut-side-up on a baking tray and broil them for 6-10 minutes until they start to char along the edges.   Reserve.  Chop the remaining peach halves into 1/2" pieces.

Take a teaspoon or two of minced zest from the lemons.  In a screw top jar, vigorously shake together the zest, juice of the lemons, mustard and garlic to make a dressing.   Shake again before applying to the salad.  You can add a splash of EVOO to the dressing if desired, it will help the dressing stick to things.

In a large bowl, toss together the pasta, chopped peaches, greens, blueberries.  Drizzle the dressing overall and toss again just before serving.  Once plated, drizzle with the syrup, and serve.


Stacked Green Chili & Shrimp Enchilada
The state of New Mexico lays claim to having invented the "stacked" enchilada, distinguished from the Old Mexico rolled enchiladas in a baking dish smothered in sauce.  The stacked version can be done as individual stacks or overlapping stacks of tortillas alternating with various ingredients.  This is my version, using whole roasted Hatch's Green Chilis and shrimp.

I can't find cans of Hatch's whole green chilis anywhere at least in my part of Florida.  But some Airbnb guests from Albuquerque kindly sent me a can awhile back and I saved them for a special occasion.  Sally's out of town this week with a girlfriend, and she doesn't care for green chilis much, so this is the perfect occasion!

12-16 whole roasted Green Chilis, seeded & veined
12-16 small Corn Tortillas
2-3 cups Mexican Cheese Blend or good Mexican melting cheese (not cheddar!)
1 lb 36-40 raw Shrimp, shelled, tailed and cleaned

Preheat the oven to 400F.

In an 8x8 baking dish, lay down a layer of 4 overlapping tortillas.  Top them with some cheese, then 3-4 split open green chilis.  Add more cheese and then a layer of about a dozen shrimp.  Repeat layering until you use things up (at least 3 layers); ending with shrimp covered with cheese on top.

Bake for 45 minutes until everything is cooked and melted together.  Rest for at least 15 minutes before serving.